This invention relates to surgical slings for an arm, wrist, or hand injury.
More particularly, this invention relates to a one-piece pad sling which includes a head-receiving opening and is equally applicable to support and immobilize either the left or right arm.
In the past, surgical slings were often formed of cloth and included a plurality of straps and buckles or other types of fastening means in order to provide adjustability. Slings which include a head-receiving opening are known in the prior art. Slings which could be reversed to support either the right or left arm are also known in the prior art.
Prior art reversible slings were not easy to put on or remove by the patient without assistance. This problem was particularly acute when it was necessary to adjust the positioning of the arm, wrist, or hand in a preferred upwardly inclined position where the hand of the injured arm or wrist is above the heart while assuring comfortable and secure elbow support.
These prior art difficulties have been substantially overcome by providing a one-piece pad sling of a generally L-shaped configuration. The pad includes a head-receiving opening and has a plurality of attachment means on both sides of the pad. A two-step folding of the pad provides a comfortable entrapment of the injured arm, wrist, or hand in an upwardly inclined orientation against the chest of the wearer while providing elbow support in a comfortable secure manner. The pad is fully reversible in that it can be readily used as a sling to immobilize and secure either arm, wrist, or hand.